# Taiwan says war with China ‘absolutely’ not an option, but bolstering defences Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-10-10 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen: No Option for War with China Meta Description: Taiwan's president pledges to boost defences with precision missiles and talks as tensions with Beijing rise. Conflict could have global repercussions. URL: https://financedigest.com/taiwan-says-war-with-china-absolutely-not-an-option-but-bolstering-defenceshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-10-10t024149z1lynxmpei9902frtroptp4taiwan-defence-1736815073227-compressed.jpg) By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) -War between Taiwan and China is “absolutely not an option”, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday, as she reiterated her willingness to talk to Beijing and also pledged to boost the island’s defences including with precision missiles. Democratic Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has come under increasing military and political pressure from Beijing, especially after Chinese war games in early August following a Taipei visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Any conflict over Taiwan could drag in the United States, Japan and perhaps much of the world, as well as shatter the [global economy](https://www.financedigest.com/world-bank-warns-global-economy-could-easily-tip-into-recession-in-2023.html "World Bank warns global economy could easily tip into recession in 2023"), especially given Taiwan’s dominant position as a maker of semiconductors used in everything from smartphones and tablets to fighter jets. Tsai, in her national day speech outside the presidential office under a grey sky, said it was “regrettable” that [China had escalated its intimidation and threatened peace and stability in the Taiwan](https://www.financedigest.com/companies-in-china-distance-themselves-from-taiwan-amid-pelosi-backlash.html "Companies in China distance themselves from Taiwan amid Pelosi backlash") Strait and region. [China should not think there is room for compromise in the commitment of Taiwan’s](https://www.financedigest.com/taiwan-reports-chinas-largest-incursion-yet-to-air-defence-zone.html "Taiwan reports China’s largest incursion yet to air defence zone") people to democracy and freedom, she said. “I want to make clear to the Beijing authorities that armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides. Only by respecting the commitment of the Taiwanese people to our sovereignty, democracy, and freedom can there be a foundation for resuming constructive interaction across the Taiwan Strait.” There was no immediate reaction from Beijing. China calls Tsai – re-elected by a landslide in 2020 on a promise to stand up to [Beijing – a separatist and refuses to speak](https://www.financedigest.com/in-beijing-spanish-pm-urges-xi-to-speak-with-ukraines-zelenskiy.html "In Beijing, Spanish PM urges Xi to speak with Ukraine’s Zelenskiy") to her. Tsai’s speech comes less than a [week before China’s](https://www.financedigest.com/china-arrivals-in-uk-next-week-will-not-face-compulsory-covid-tests-independent.html "China arrivals in UK next week will not face compulsory COVID tests -Independent") ruling Communist Party’s congress opens in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping is widely expected to win a precedent-breaking third five-year term. An official familiar with Tsai’s thinking, speaking on condition of anonymity, told [reporters the president was looking to “clearly convey” her position to the world](https://www.financedigest.com/white-bullet-releases-ad-funded-piracy-report-for-world-intellectual-property-organisation-wipo.html "White Bullet releases Ad Funded Piracy Report for World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)") and Beijing. [“Standing firm](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-stands-firm-while-traders-await-cpi.html "Dollar stands firm while traders await CPI") on the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is the main axis of Tsai’s comments on cross-strait relations this year,” the official said, adding this was the world’s expectation and responsibility of both Taipei and Beijing. ‘NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE’ Tsai said, to applause, that her government looked forward to the gradual post-pandemic resumption of healthy and orderly people-to-people exchanges across the strait, which would ease tensions. But the broad consensus in Taiwan is that its sovereignty and free and democratic way of [life must](https://www.financedigest.com/life-post-brexit-people-must-take-precedent.html "Life post Brexit – people must take precedent") be defended, she added. “On this point, we have no room for compromise,” she said. Tsai has made strengthening [Taiwan’s defences](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-parliament-committee-chair-says-she-talked-defence-cooperation-on-taiwan-trip.html "UK parliament committee chair says she talked defence cooperation on Taiwan trip") a cornerstone of her administration to enable it to mount a more credible deterrence to China, which is ramping up an ambitious modernisation programme of its own military. [Taiwan will show the world it is taking responsibility for its own defence](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-fearing-war-in-xis-next-term-taiwan-bolsters-defences.html "Analysis-Fearing war in Xi’s next term, Taiwan bolsters defences"), Tsai said. Taiwan is increasing mass production of precision missiles and high-performance naval vessels, and [working to acquire small](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-make-social-media-marketing-work-for-your-small-business.html "How to make social media marketing work for your small business"), highly mobile weapons that will ensure Taiwan is fully prepared to respond to “external military threats”, she added. The military [tensions have raised concerns](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-rises-over-1-as-mideast-tensions-face-virus-concerns.html "Oil rises over 1% as Mideast tensions face virus concerns"), especially in the United States, about the concentration of chip making in Taiwan. I want to specifically emphasise one point to my fellow citizens and the international community, which is that the concentration of the semiconductor [sector in Taiwan is not a risk,”](https://www.financedigest.com/how-data-visualisation-is-helping-the-insurance-sector-understand-environmental-risks.html "How data visualisation is helping the insurance sector understand environmental risks") she said. We will continue to maintain Taiwan’s advantages and capacity in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing processes, and will help optimise the worldwide restructuring of the semiconductor supply chain, giving our semiconductor [firms an even more prominent global](https://www.financedigest.com/sp-global-acquires-firm-to-bolster-capability-to-track-commodity-shipments.html "S&P Global acquires firm to bolster capability to track commodity shipments") role,” she added. (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben BlanchardEditing by Shri Navaratnam and Gerry Doyle) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---